Final Fantasy Main Story RP Arc X

Zack’s words hurt, he had finally given up on her, he had moved on, like she had tried too with Cloud, but at least she didn't try to move on with a killer, a destructive puppet that wanted to see the planet in ruins.

“I understand, Zack. I’ll miss you.” Aerith said as she released the ice spell as tears had begun to run down her face.

Zack swallowed hard when she said those words. It hurt him to and he never wished for this to end this way.He saw the spell released and he activated his jump materia.Leaping out of range of the spell.

Drawing the sword out he brought it down and it embedded it to the ground as he landed near Aerith.The shock of the jump rippling through the ground.It just seemed unfair to fight her.

Angeal winced as he was knocked back by the barrier that came up; Sephiroth was well and truly on his own now, whatever happened, he would do all he was able to keep his promise to the younger man, starting with Kadaj. “Come on kid,” he muttered, helping him up, “Are you alright?” he asked as he looked him over a moment.

The waves of fire surged around them as Sephiroth attacked. Nero's hand moved to the side. Fire's surged around his palm and, like Cerberus, he formed Weiss' heaven-blade in his free hand. He smirked, "You will not leave this place alive." The blade was forward to block but something...

...changed.

Nero dropped both weapons and grabbed his throat. His body was suddenly propelled forward, going straight for the slash. Charred eyes widened as his body broke to pieces. Charred flesh ripped apart from each other and lay broken on the ground. Eyes finally closed and his life was over. Nero the Sable ended, betrayed.

A subtle laugh came from far above as a woman stood in her full form. Silver hair fell past her feet and four, great white wings extended from her body. She was high above Sephiroth and Nero and her intent was to kill. She wore thin armour made of silver, covering what needed to be covered, and had a thin high crown with an corrupt emerald over her forehead.

"No longer chained and denied..." The woman's serpentine eyes opened and her pupils slit instantly. "Forgive me, my dear child, for letting that poor, little vagabond get in the way of our final struggle. Hush, dear child, this will be over in a moment, I assure you." She gave a gentle, caring smile as she raised a hand.

Green light formed in her palm and she let it gather.

"Sleep well, my dear Knight. Thank you for all you have done, Sephiroth, you were truly a perfect, perfect child... I gave you everything you wanted. I gave you life. I even invaded the body of the man you loved so you could be together. I gave you reincarnation time, and time, and time again!" Her eyes narrowed and the growing green lights formed in her hands. "I did everything right for my child, Sephiroth, and you were a selfish fool who betrayed me. You betrayed me. If you didn't want the life I gave you, then I will take it back. I will absorb you and continue my conquest to ride the cosmos with this planet as my vessel!"

Her spell finally completed and she shot her hand down, "Ultima!"

The spell was a hazy and pure explosion of energy in green lights as she sent it down the tornado to eliminate Sephiroth, and whatever was left of Nero.

The shock of the jump had shook the ground causing Aerith to lose her footing and falling to the ground, Aerith growled at Zack, anger once more clouding her judgment as she scrabbled to her feet to charge at Zack, throwing spells as fast as she could, not caring it they landed or not.

Zack couldn’t or wouldn’t change his mind; and Aerith would have to lay him back in the Lifestream, where she knew he would be safe from Sephiroth’s lies, while she could cleanse the Planet from Sephiroth.

Zack saw her fall and he wanted to help her up apologise. But when the fury of spells came flying at him he dodged, rolled, jumped out of their ways.He felt that familiar ping of the training.There was only one way out of this and he'd done this one before with Angeal.

His hand gripped the hilt of the blade. He could feel the hatred of himself.She was running on pure rage. She intended to kill him.Zack charged a her dodging the fury of spells, the blade was brought round.He caught her arm throwing the spells and the blade was brought forward.

It struck home in her center, he felt it go into flesh. Zack just pulled her close into his arms holding her there.His entire body shaking. The blade embedded in her body.'Please goddess take her back fix her. Please.'It was a silent prayer as fingers moved through Aerith's hair.

It had ended quickly. Nero had moved and Sephiroth had been prepared for the attack until the other grabbed at his throat. He drew the blood stained blade back away from his body. He fell and as simple as that he was gone. Death was something Sephiroth was familiar with. He had given it to so many within his life, named a hero for it, but this seemed too simple.

Muscles tensed as the laugh came and he took a step back from the woman. No, it wasn't over. She had only shed her newest host.

Sephiroth's own eyes locked on hers as one hand was brought out. This was their battle and only one would be victorious in the end. His lips curled in a smirk. "It will be, shall it? Already you have victory planned as if this is how it shall end."

He didn't know what she was planning, just that it was them. This was how it should end, where he could finally end her for everything she had done. "You have given me nothing," he was born of these cells, not of her actions. Everything he was was of his own power, not because she chose it, and now she sought to take Zack from him. As the spell grew his own did in front of him. He drew on the power of the universe as he unleashed the Supernova back at her. It hurt, his body felt ready to crumple but he was alive. Sephiroth lifted his head and his lips parted.

He drew in a short breath as his body shook within its shattered form.

She never saw it, the blade that she practically threw herself on in her spell-bound rage that Nero had casted on her. She felt her lifeforce slowly pour out as the wound in her chest, no her heart bled out, it was the pain, the ungodly pain that broke the spell. But Zack held her and that is all she needed.Aerith smiled.

Bringing her hand to touch Zack’s face, gazing into his mako-blue eyes, she couldn’t be any more happier than she was now, maybe if Cloud was there as well, it would be amazing, but life never was amazing.

“It’s alright. It was you this time.” Aerith breathe.Sucking in a deep painful breath, Aerith felt the time flow past her, moving faster and faster as the darkness threaten to take her.

"What is--?" Jenova's eyes widened as Supernova crashed against her Ultima. Unluckily for her, the blasting winds and whirling fires had trapped them both. As Supernova drove upwards, Ultima was being pushed back. "N-No!" She shouted, realising she was about to be hit with her own spell. She had used most of her mana in that last strike and gathered whatever was left. The warmth in her hand surged and she unleashed a Flare against the Ultima, but it was futile. The merging of Ultima and Supernova had absorbed Flare as well and shot upwards to finish her.

"NEVER!"

She expanded her wings and flew up the tornado in a desperate attempt to evade the attack. Her wings flapped as fast as they could but the blinding warmth behind her was coming closer. Her eyes widened in pure terror as the magic surged right through her. Flesh began to crumble, bones evaporated. Her physical body, her core was disappearing. No... there is... one last thing I can do...

The tornado of haunting flames burst, letting the Ultimate-Flare-Nova spiral wildly into the sky. With an explosion of light, the woman's let the magic slip through her.

Children... Children of Jenova.... Give me what you have left!

No, don't bother giving... I WILL TAKE IT MYSELF!

Her mind's eye imagined Yazoo and Loz and she crumpled them, letting their bones break and shatter, melt and crumble, leaching every ounce of life they had. They were purely-Jenovian and she took every bit of their existence to create a shroud of flesh for her spirit to enter. She then imagined Zack -- ungrateful child -- and thieved whatever she could from him. It wasn't enough to kill, barely enough to hurt, but he was free and she was empowered. She had finally become one, once more.

A mangled body dropped from the sky. Not quite male, not quite female, it was much closer to just a skeleton barely having enough flesh to cover itself. It wiggled wildly on the floor as Jenova gasped and cried out. She had survived, but she was not blind, either.... she knew this was her end. The rattling set of bones pushed herself up and she held her ribcage. White eyes struggled to find Sephiroth, and she realised she was right in front of him -- barely ten meters apart.

"So..." she whispered, "This is how it ends... I have gone from planet to planet, sucking the life, absorbing their power, just to be trapped here, huh? Ha, haha... ha... hahahahaahahaha," she laughed and closed her eyes. "This planet... Gaia... she has survived so many strikes, and yet does not wish to fall... even though she's so very close." Her head cocked up, looking to the sky.

"Minerva, if you're listening......... Fuck it," Jenova shrugged. "I have nothing to say to her." Her dead eyes looked to Sephiroth one last time. "You're right, I gave nothing to you directly... but if I had never come to this planet, Hojo would have never made child with Lucrecia, and you would have never been born. You are a child of destruction, born from three parents, all of whom are sick monsters who wanted nothing but fairy tales they could never achieve... Child of destruction, raised into a man of redemption..."

Her eyes closed for the final time and she straightened her spine. "No filthy lifeform has the right to exist when I do not... so it is only just for me to be ended by my own creation." Her arms spread out, "Kill me now or I will regain my strength!"

Sephiroth was uncertain how he was still alive as the attack seemed to explode. Pain shot through his body unlike any. It was unlike even when the cells were killed within him or when she tore them from his body. He barely breathed as the long hair hung around his limp body. He was ready for death to take him if need be, but it didn't. It seemed just out of his grasp as the thing spoke to him.

Destruction, redemption... There was no answer as to what he was. Fingers tried to tighten around the hilt as he moved forward towards that which was once Jenova. She had offered him love, all he had been given was further pain when he went to her side seeking someplace away from the pain. But all that was left was a belief he was something great, a god, only to be brought into darkness.

This would be the end of the path. Green eyes locked on her as he forced his body up once again. He took a step forward and moved forward. The blade moved to sink into her body, end her life. This was all he had as darkness seemed to overtake him. He was somewhere, somewhere lingering between life and death. It wasn't death, he knew what that was, but instead trapped within darkness without the strength to wake.

"Of course." He whispered softly.Zack leaned into the kiss, his lips pressing up against hers. Softly.It was everything he had wished it would feel like with her.He had always wondered. Wished for them to be together.

It had been his dream right up until his death. Him, Aerith, Cloud together.Living together. But nothing ever turned out how he wanted.Especially as he felt her going weak in his arms. He pulled her closer.His arms holding her up against him. Even as he fought the tears that threatened to consume.

Zack felt the pain hit him. He felt Jenova drawing from him and he gasped softly.He couldn't let her use him again. Zack wouldn't let go of Aerith even if Jenova pulled him back.Zack had hurt Aerith so much and just wanted to make it right. Jenova would not steal him, not now.

Aerith sighed as Zack’s lips touched hers, it felt better than Aerith had ever dreamed it would be, it was sad that it took this long to do something that felt this right. But it was better late than never, at least that is what Aerith told herself.

"I'll always love you, Zack. Tell Cloud I love him too." Aerith said as she took in a raspy breath, pulling closer to Zack before falling back into Zack's arms, staring at the sky.

“Healing Rain.” Aerith whispered as her hand rose to touch the sky that began to be covered as the rain began to fall, with the life from her eyes disappearing once more.

(Okay, she is officially dead, feel free on getting healed and freeing yourself from Jenova if you want.)

When Aerith collapsed in his arms, his heart seemed to sink.He never wanted to feel this pain again. He couldn't deal with it to well.Sinking to his knee's he just cradled her body as he felt the rain fall.He could feel it's cool touches healing every injury this battle had caused.

But it didn't stop the tears, it didn't stop the feeling that his heart was broken.Lying her down and drawing the sword out.He watched as the blood was washed from the blade.Like she forgave him for what he'd just done.

But he couldn't forgive himself.

Standing up slowly he looked up at the rain as it seemed to pour down on him.Stepping back he looked round for anyone at this moment.Sephiroth, Angeal, Cloud, Kadaj. But he couldn't see where any of them had gone.Zack could only take that single step back before he felt himself just collapse.

He couldn't bring himself to leave her not right now.Sitting by her side and pulling her to him resting her head in his lap.Fingers moving through her hair slowly.

The water was what forced him out of that place, brought him back from that area between. Sephiroth slowly stood as the cool water dropped down on his face and hair. The wet rain had healed his body, the pain gone again. He lifted his head as he looked down at the destroyed body.

Jenova...

The curse that she had been was over though in a way it wasn't really a relief. He had ended her life, her son, or so she called him. Truly now there was no connection to the curse that created him. The Masamune was slid away and he moved slowly as the water drenched his hair and clung to his skin.

Zack...

Where was he? Feet dragged across ruined ground through destroyed buildings as he moved slowly in search of him. "Zack?"

Zack heard his name. He heard Sephiroth calling for him but he couldn't bring himself to leave her.He just sat there. Minerva he was waiting for her to answer him to take Aerith to a place where she could be healed from Jenova and Nero's taint.

His eyes closed as the rain turned cold against his skin and he shivered slightly."Seph... I'm this way."But he didn't move to leave her in the rain alone even though her soul was gone.It seemed cruel, heartless.

Zack had killed her, to just leave her like this would make him no better than the likes of Nero or Rosso.

The voice was followed easily enough and there was a moment of relief to see Zack there. The ancient was gone, needless pain because of Jenova and Nero. Sephiroth moved towards him and knelt down beside Zack. He didn't know his position in this, what to even say. The fingers buried lightly into Zack's hair as he knelt down beside him and stroked his hair lightly.

Jenova was gone, they could recover, they were free from her finally after what felt like a lifetime. Sephiroth turned over towards him and rested against the black hair.

Minerva couldn't ignore the plea, even though it would be dangerous to take Aerith back. She stepped out of the ether in a ghostly visage of her true form, blonde hair flowing behind her as she went to Zack, her hand cupping his cheek gently.

"Consider it done," she whispered softly, her hands going to Aerith's body and resting on it lightly. The form faded into small glittering lights that so few had seen before - the Lifestream taking back the body and soul that was born from it. Minerva stood up and back from them, her hand held out and the lights flew to it and clustered in her open palm. Her other hand cupped the top of the ball protectively, bringing it to her chest and smiling at Zack and Sephiroth.

"I knew I had chosen well," she murmured with a smile, turning and disappearing back into the ether.

Zack watched as the Goddess seemed to fade and he turned round to face Seph before pulling him into his arms."Don't ever ask me to kill you, don't ever make me kill you, I won't last doing that a third time."He held Sephiroth close. He would not last much longer if they hung around here either though.

"Tell me she's dead Seph I'm over this." He let out a quick breath, a sign of a mini rant coming."Because, we're going back to Healin we're packing up and we're leaving Rufus to run his own stupid army."His hand moving to swipe through his hair. "I'm just done. I quit no more."

He couldn't just watch like this, he didn't want to. Arms wrapped tightly around Zack's body. It didn't matter that they sat on the blood stained ground or that the cold rain fell on them. All he could do was keep him in his arms as he held him close.

"She's gone, she's dead."

And right now he couldn't agree more. "What do you need to pack up in Healin?"

They wouldn't stay there and continued to be used, not when Sephiroth's mind fell in the same area's as Zack's. He wanted out from under Rufus' thumb. A long time ago he had thought of leaving ShinRa, and now he would for good. They would never return. It would just be them, far away from this hell, free from everyone.

"Um... just some materia, clothes and probably Denzel." The thing was he would have to tell Denzel what Cloud said. Then probably tell the teen that he would be staying with two men in a relationship.It would probably be better if he went with Tifa at this stage.

Zack pressed into Sephiroth's arms. He was glad Jenova was gone. He didn't feel any different though. He felt the same. Just heart broken at this stage.But it was like one of those times where the cells were silent and still.Time would tell if she had truly gone.

"We'll find Angeal before we leave I just need to know he's okay. I'm sure your the same with locating Kadaj."

Sephiroth slowly lifted himself up as he focused on Zack. He was right, they needed to do these things before they were able to leave. A part of him doubted that Kadaj would be happy that he was disappearing completely. One arm wrapped around his waist as he pulled the younger man up.

"Find Angeal, if needed we may discuss things with him. We will need a place to go and ways to disappear."

Already plans were being made to find a solution as far as disappearing completely from ShinRa. There was no longer the type of force needed to hunt them down and he could only hope that Rufus wouldn't try. They couldn't remain any longer.

Sephiroth was right. Angeal would probably know a few good places to hide to start with that they wouldn't look for them at. Being Angeal and Genesis had done the runner in the past.With the lack or army forces to hunt them down like last time he knew they would be safe for a while.

"Right. Where was Angeal last time you saw him anyway?"He shrugged and sucked in a breath. Perhaps it was easier to do it the old fashioned way.Cupping his hands in a megaphone shape he just shouted as loud as he could knowing the now empty town his voice would probably reverberate enough for Angeal to hear him anyway.

Sephiroth moved away in search of Kadaj. He had been there during the fight but whether Angeal had moved him away he didn't know. The rubble crunched underfoot as he searched for the teen that had come with them. No sign of him. It didn't bode well and seemed to push at the back of his mind.

He searched the area until the silver hair became visible. Fingers lightly stroked over it as he knelt down next to the boy.

He hadn't been able to do it. As soon as Jenova/Nero's attention had gone from him he had walked away from the battle - from his friends and family... because to not do so would have been worse.

The shard had burned at his breast, the glowing crystal searing through his shirt and blistering his skin - the hatred, the blood lust... it all raged and fought to take him again - and without Minerva's full strength to protect him he could feel it chipping away at him. He couldn't be that person again - he refused to be.

So he left.

It hadn't been enough though, the want to fight keeping him too close and when the attack hit... the shard had broken. Shattered within it's mythril cage and fell to the ground, not long before Kadaj joined it. He didn't know how long he lay there, he didn't hear anything until that one voice he always heard cut through the silence that raged inside of him.

"She said... to keep it safe," he murmured, eyes slowly opening. "That if I didn't then something bad would happen... because... it's a part... of me." The words were hard to string together, fragments of a life he'd forgotten floating in his head but always just out of his grasp. "I lost your sword, I'm sorry."

He had fought enough battles to know what this was. Sephiroth shifted and one arm was placed under Kadaj's back. Family... it was a foreign thing even now, but deep down he still felt the emptiness as his gaze lifted. It was pain, a deep seated pain.

"It will be found later."

Fingers lightly moved through the silver hair as he lifted himself up. The ancient's spell had not healed him, and his own power in this area was limited.